Amy Petrill

Amy Petrill is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) with 20 years of clinical experience. She works with adults managing anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and major life adjustments. Her style is warm and straightforward, focused on helping people find practical ways to feel steadier day to day.

She emphasizes a client-centered approach and treats the person as the expert in their life. Sessions are collaborative - she listens, offers options, and helps clients choose what fits their goals. She describes the relationship as the client driving and her acting as a navigator.

Amy draws on Trauma-Focused Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to address upsetting memories, unhelpful thoughts, and patterns that get in the way of living. She also uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and psychodynamic ideas when they suit the work. These methods are used to reduce distress, build coping skills, and improve daily functioning.

Her background includes two decades of trauma-informed practice, with experience helping people face grief, relationship strain, workplace stress, and health-related challenges. She also supports clients dealing with ADHD, bipolar mood concerns, postpartum depression, and compassion fatigue.

Amy works with individual adults and welcomes people from diverse backgrounds. She offers sessions in English and accepts international clients. To begin, prospective clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule based on therapist availability.

How trauma-focused and CBT approaches translate online

Amy uses Trauma-Focused Therapy to help people process difficult memories and reduce the impact of past events on daily life. That work often involves pacing, stabilization skills, and gradual processing so clients feel more in control of intense feelings.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to identify and shift thinking patterns and behaviors that contribute to anxiety or low mood. CBT sessions typically include practical exercises, thought records, and skill practice that can be done between meetings.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is another option Amy may use to address distress tied to specific memories; it involves structured processing to reduce the intensity of those memories and associated reactions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Amy collaborates with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and comfort level. She adjusts pacing and techniques together as therapy unfolds.

Session format options are not listed in the biography, so confirm available online or in-person formats before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions around work, caregiving, or health concerns, and it supports using real-life examples in the moment. Therapists can also assign shorter check-ins, guided exercises, or homework that fit into a busy week.